Celestial wedding celebrated

MADHURAI: The celestial wedding of Lord Sundareswarar with Goddess Meenakshi was celebrated in a grand manner with thousands of pilgrims offering worship to the deities today.

The wedding was part of the 12 day Chitrai festival of  the famous Sri Meenakshi temple in this city.

Devotees started thronging the temple from early morning.

Though round the year festivals are celebrated in this temple town,Tirukalyanam(Celestial wedding)is considered the mother of all  festivals.

Police had made elaborate security arrangements for the festival.

A wedding feast was also given to 50000 people after thewedding, temple sources said.

According to temple officials, 5000kg of rice,2500 kg of pulses,3000kg of vegetables were used for the feast,prepared and served by a large group of volunteers,who included 100 cooks from different hotels.

Last night during "Bride groom-welcome ceremony"devotees were given "Kesari"Vada and Pongal.

The devotees would be given wedding feast till 8PM. "Pattabishegam was held at the temple last evening, when the Chairman board of Trustees Karumuthu T.Kannan was given the sceptre.The devotees also gifted "Moi"(Money) to the temple for the wedding. The devotees were given Prasadam which included Mangalsutra.The Temple Executive Officer B.Raja,Joint commissioner Rajanayakam, Commissioner of Police
Nandabalan,and the District Collector S.S.Jawahar were among those present at the wedding.